I need to search this array: cars - [0] -make : Ford -model: Escort -year: 1991 [1] -make: Honda -model: Civic -year: 1996 [2] -make: Vauxhall -model: Astra -year: 1972 And if (for example) the model is "Civic" , place that 'car' at position 0. So the end array would be like: cars - [0] -make: Honda -model: Civic -year: 1996 [1] -make : Ford -model: Escort -year: 1991 [2] -make: Vauxhall -model: Astra -year: 1972 I've tried some usort variations: function typeSort($a, $b) { if ($a['model'] == 'Civic' ) { return 0; } return ($a['model'] < $b['model']) ? -1 : 1; } but this is just returning 1